Why is there so much rainfall in El Yunque National Forest?
El Yunque is the rainiest of all the National Forests with up to 240 inches per year. More than 100 billion gallons of rainwater fall on the forest per year.Here it rains about 4 times a day. It usualy rains more during springtimeand automn.
Most of the rainfall in this forest orographic (associated with mountains).Moisture-laden air is caried by wind and forced to as cend over the mountains. The use in elevation cools the air, causing condensation in the form of rain.
Trade winds bring to El Yunque most of the rain that falls. Depending on their intensity and speed, these winds can produce a few clouds to several days of cloudy and rainy weather. All this abumdant rainfall is shed through rocky rivers creating many beautifull cascades of waterfalls and natural pools.
The result of such heavy rainfall and the warm tropical climate made El Yunque one of the most biological diverse areas that the National Forest Agency mamages.
